NBA: 3 value free agents to watch heading into the offseason

NBA’s best value free agents: Willy Hernangómez

Willy Hernangómez signed a one-year, minimum contract last offseason with the New Orleans Pelicans. Whether he remains with the Pelicans or not, Hernangómez will certainly command a more lucrative contract this summer.

Hernangómez got his best chance to shine last season down the stretch when Steven Adams went down with an injury.

In the final 10 games of the regular season, Hernangómez averaged 12 points, 10 rebounds, and nearly two assists per game on 57% shooting.

For the season, Hernangómez averaged seven points and seven rebounds while playing 18 minutes per game, on 58% shooting from two-point range, while also shooting 66% from the free-throw line.

Hernangómez has a surprisingly high free-throw rate at 34%, but he only shoots about two per game, so it’s a bit misleading.

Hernangómez has also completely gone away from attempting to have anything resembling a 3-point shot in his offensive arsenal.

In his second season with the Hornets, Hernangómez had a 3-point rate of 15%, which is eons better than his 0.37% 3-point rate as a member of the Pelicans.

Early in his career, Hernangómez found a lot of success scoring as a roll man off of pick and rolls, finishing in the 78th percentile for points per possession in 2016/2017 and the 53rd percentile in 2018/2019 with the Hornets.

Maybe playing with a point guard not named Eric Bledsoe and a coach not named Stan Van Gundy will allow Hernangómez to be useful in pick-and-rolls again, which really is an underrated part of his game.